China tour showed Christian growth

February 7, 2007

By Robert Pigott

BBC Religious Affairs correspondent

The Chinese rolled out the red carpet for the Archbishop of

Canterbury.

Dr Rowan Williams - the leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion -

arrived at churches, schools and seminaries, to be greeted with

flowers, choirs and delegations of officials and church leaders.

The show reached a peak at the village of Bao An, near Wuhan in

central China.

Firecrackers erupted as Dr Williams' bus bumped down the track to the

church - newly rebuilt to hold the growing congregation.

The local band struck up, and rows of young women, dressed in

brilliant green, beat drums and swayed to the music.

Behind the barriers, crowds strained for a glimpse of Dr Williams,

introduced wherever he went as the " honourable archbishop " .

But among the ordinary people, municipal politicians, church leaders

and intellectuals Dr Williams met, there were many different reasons

for their interest in the visit.

Firstly, Chinese people are joining churches at an unprecedented

rate.

Rural living standards have not improved as they have in many cities,

but the all-embracing welfare of the communist era has eroded.

There are many people seeking the support, hope and a sense of

redemption that Christianity can provide.

Even where there is wealth, traditional Chinese values and social

codes have been undermined.

Christianity is providing many of the newly rich with a renewed sense

of meaning and purpose.

" People are so busy making money, that they've lost sight of the most

important things in life, " said one churchgoer in Wuhan.

" They don't notice that they've neglected their families, until they

suddenly find they need loving support and it's not there. "

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